Our Apprentices Go Above and Beyond to Support the Local Community
Reflecting
our commitment to helping young people to enter a fulfilling career, SGS
Packaging Europe runs a structured apprenticeship programme at our offices in The Maltings and Bridgehead. Taking the
form of clear responsibilities combined with in-house training, one-to-one
mentoring and regular development days, apprentices also manage a number of
community projects. This combination of focus areas aids them in gaining in-depth
expertise that applies to their roles, as well as valuable life skills.
As
part of their community involvement, our apprentices have chosen four charities
to support throughout 2019. Together they’ve planned a number of activities that
will raise awareness and funds for very worthy causes: Hull Homeless Community
Project (HHCP), Yorkshire Cancer Research, Hull and East Yorkshire Mind, and Aaron’s
Cancer Battle.
This
series of exciting events begins in February, initially asking for donations that
will be passed on to HHCP. The purpose of this particular charity is the
prevention of homelessness and the smooth transitioning of people into permanent
accommodation, so items such as cleaning products, towels, crockery, paint and
decorating equipment, and anything else that will make a house a home will be collected
at our Hull offices. The apprentices are also planning to join HHCP’s Move On project,
which transforms buildings that are currently empty shells into warm, safe and
welcoming environments. This will involve painting and improving a house with
the charity’s CEO, Andrew Smith.
“It’s
very easy for everyone to do their bit,” says Nicola Ashton, who manages the
apprenticeship programme. “Our apprentices will invite fellow colleagues to pop
an extra item in their trolleys whilst doing the weekly shop. These little bits
and bobs that we all take for granted, such as toiletries and baby products,
will have minimal impact on what you pay at the checkout, yet they’ll make a
huge difference to a family in need.”
Other
fundraising events taking place over the year will include bake sales, raffles,
promise auctions and a huge Fundraiser Fun Day in the summer. The apprentices
will also do some outreach work, contacting local businesses and encouraging
them to participate in any way they can, such as donating raffle prizes. If
you’d like to help right now, you can give any amount you wish to their GoFundMe page.
“All
of our apprentices work so hard,” adds Nicola. “We’re very proud of them for coming
up with these fantastic ideas and being so passionate about supporting not-for-profit
organisations. They’re really shaping up to be fabulous young people who will
have a positive impact on the world.”
Nicola
is with the apprentices every step of the way, guiding them through their
journey at SGS Packaging Europe. The programme has been expertly designed to
teach, train, mentor and inspire each individual, helping them to enhance their
employability skills and aspire to achieve great things. Development days take
a variety of formats, encouraging the apprentices to work together as a team,
build relationships, collaborate with senior team members, and take part in fun
activities such as bowling and selfie challenges. Following the completion of
the apprenticeships, a glamorous ceremony with a keynote speaker will celebrate
everything that has been achieved, with awards handed out to those who have
gone above and beyond.
Chris
Kerwin, Learning and Development Manager EMEA: “The apprenticeship programme
builds a consistent platform that promotes the introduction and
development of young people into our business. We have a wealth
of knowledge and experience within SGS, and it is vital that it is not
lost to the next generation of artwork operators, retouchers, designers
and account managers. Through the apprenticeship programme we can
ensure that not only does it remain in the business, but that it is integrated
into our new ways of working and evolving culture.”
Our
incredible apprenticeship programme will be rolled out to cover Hull and
Tamworth in July. This is an unparalleled opportunity to learn all about the
print industry and work alongside multi-disciplined specialists, which is open
to people of all ages. If you’d like to find out more about opportunities at
SGS Packaging Europe, visit our careers page and sign up to job alerts.
You can also email information@sgsco.com to request information
regarding the apprenticeship programme specifically.
